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By adamg on Fri, 03/13/2015 - 8:53am
That would, of course, be the intersection of Washington Street with Winter and Summer in Downtown Crossing, where, if you look up, way up, at the top of the building with the Corner entrance, you'll see a series of screaming mad gargoyles.
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That's not too bad. The old
That's not too bad. The old post office building is decorated with fasces (before Mussolini it was a symbol of republican rule of law).
Library
The older wing of the BPL is covered in swastikas.
yeah
but are they swastikas and not just a pattern of design
(yes I did look at your link, looks like more of a pattern than a swastika since its a continuous pattern)
That's more of a Greek Key
That's more of a Greek Key motif.
http://www.pitt.edu/~medart/menuglossary/greekkey.htm
Nah
Not Swastikas
Not Only That...
... it also has some message about being gay (see upper right in the photo.)
(Before anyone gets their panties in a knot, I recognize they are not swastikas. I'm pretty sure Steeve does, too.)
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Chemists
Gay-Lussac was a French chemist and physicist, known for 2 laws related to gases, and work on alcohol and water mixtures. (That's as far as I got on Wikipedia before losing interest) Why he is identified by sexual orientation when none of the other chemists on that panel are is a question for the BPL.
Gay is a last name
Gay is a last name.. looks like his was hyphenated.
Woosh!
Look out for low flying humor!
:-P~~~
:-P~~~
Not all (or even most) swastikas are Nazi
Swastikas are one of the most common and ancient symbols in human history. The word 'swastika is just a Victorian (ie late 1800s) loanword from Sanskrit for what used to be called a 'gammadion'. Greek keys are just one example of a gazillion variations on the theme.
The multi-armed spiral glyph has been around for at least 10,000 years - and it's nearly always had a very positive meaning - generally signifying 'good' or 'lucky'.
It really sucks that the Nazis expropriated the symbol and ruined it for at least a couple more generations of Westerners by its association with their disgusting philosophy.
I'm aware
I've been to East Asia where the symbols are still ubiquitous.
And yes, that's a swastika within a meander pattern. To those who disagree, I'm sure you'd have no problem walking around with that pattern on a t-shirt, right?
A Greek key or meander can be any symbol formed into a continuous line. Swastikas were a commonly used symbol, particularly when the building was built in 1895.
Now versus then
Walking around with it on a shirt now is extremely different than the motives of the people who put it there well over a century ago.
That's the difference. A shirt or tie pattern in 1895 wouldn't mean the same thing as it would now.
That
That was directed at those who dismissed my point that it was a swastika. If it's not a swastika, would you wear a shirt with that Greek key pattern?
That said, it's a swastika. Don't wear it on a shirt if you don't want some misunderstandings.
Was really responding to cappy's post, not yours Steeve
Just pointing out that they are, indeed, a variety of swastika.
sorry for the confusion.
Not only before - still is
It still is - there are currently fasces displayed on either side of the American flag in the US House, and on the Senate seal. Fasces are also featured as elements on many National Guard insignia.
It was on the dime
At least from 1916 to 1946.
Yeah, it's on these older
Yeah, it's on these older things, but unless you're UMass Amherst you're not going to adopt it as your symbol.
I could spend hours walking
I could spend hours walking the streets of Boston to look at some of the facades of the older buildings. For any history/architecture buffs, there are many gems to be found. You just have to look up!
There was once an architecture tour that did just that. They even had classes on what to look for. I kick myself for not joining.
A few years ago I started
A few years ago I started making a conscious effort to look up while walking around the city instead of just staring at the sidewalk in front of me. I couldn't believe what I had been missing out on. There are incredible views almost everywhere you go.
Welcome to the big city. I
Welcome to the big city. I hear they have a mayor here and everything.
the daylight store
They want their macaroons back!
And this time of year, it's
And this time of year, it's screaming mad gargoyles dropping death icicles on passers-by below, isn't it.
Makes sense
They must have eaten at the Corner Mall, home of egregiously bad examples of many cuisines.
AAAH Yes
I know it well. That's where I pray for the death of all my enemies.
If you stare long enough I swear you'll see them blink.
#DTX
http://cappyinboston.blogspot.com/
Walking Tours of Boston
Anthony Sammarco has a newish book, "Boston: A Historic Walking Tour (Images of America)" that includes a page with the history of this building. Disclaimer: I took the modern photography in the book.
Here is a link to "Boston: A Historic Walking Tour (Images of America)" on Amazon.
General Rave
Sammarco's stuff is always worth a read. His books about the history of the T are excellent. If this one reaches that same level, I'm all over it.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com